How To Choose The Best Kitchen Countertop Material for a Remodel

Choose Kitchen Countertop Material & Remodel, Whether you’re remodeling your kitchen, giving your existing kitchen a facelift, or building a new custom home, your countertops can set the style and tone of the most important room in the house. If your home features an open concept floor plan, it can even carry your design sense throughout the entire living space.

In fact, countertops are almost as important as the layout of your kitchen. Today, you have more choices than ever before. With a huge variety of human-made and engineered products, as well as natural materials available in every possible color and pattern, you have more options than ever!

While it’s tempting to choose your new countertop based solely on aesthetics, picking your kitchen countertop comes down to four criteria; your style, maintenance needs, the material’s durability and of course the cost. Consider each before making a final choice.

FINDING THE RIGHT FIT: DEFINING YOUR NEEDS

Start by examining your lifestyle. While beautiful white Carrara marble is an elegant, luxurious choice, if you have small children who love to come home from school and make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the kitchen counter, marble is probably not a good choice for you. Perhaps an engineered quartz or natural soapstone surface might make more sense.

Do you love to prepare food? Will you be chopping and slicing on your surface? Maybe a hardwood butcher block surface, like natural maple is the answer. Looking for an eco-friendly option? Consider solid surface composites like IceStone, Richlite or Paperstone. They are sustainable and release no VOCs. Are you a baker? Marble countertops stay cool and if you like to bake, it is the perfect surface for kneading dough. Looking for inspiration? Click Here!

KITCHEN COUNTERTOP OPTIONS TO FIT ANY LIFESTYLE

The good news? With so many great kitchen countertop choices available, even if you have your heart set on a particular material like marble, but it doesn’t match your lifestyle, you can find a similar material like manufactured quartz that can match the pattern and style of natural marble.

Let’s explore some of the popular kitchen countertop options available!

GRANITE

Natural stone is a popular kitchen countertop choice and granite is by far the most popular. Granite countertops come in a wide variety of colors, and every slab is unique. It also comes in several different finishes including, brushed, antiqued, honed (which is a matte finish) and polished for a shiny almost luminescent look. Granite’s cost can vary widely with a common variety like Ubatuba being more affordable than the more exotic Labradorite.

NATURAL STONE

While granite is the most popular natural stone, it’s not your only choice. Marble, limestone, quartzite, and soapstone are great luxurious options, but they are not as durable as granite and will require occasional maintenance like annual sealing. Even truly exotic stone like Onyx is available for your kitchen countertop if money’s no object!

ENGINEERED STONE

Another option is engineered stone. Quartz countertops are made by using chips of stone and resin. They offer the look and feel of natural stone, but are almost bulletproof and come in every color imaginable. You will pay for this durability however as manufactured stone countertops can cost twice as much as the least expensive granite!

SOLID SURFACES

If it’s practicality you’re looking for, solid surface materials might be the right choice. Acrylics like Corian, or newer countertop materials like Paperstone or Richlite (made using recycled paper and resin) are easy to maintain and eco-friendly. We rarely use solid surface materials in our kitchen designs, but they are ideal for laundry rooms where value and practicality are important.

CUSTOM-MADE CONCRETE

A hot trend a few years ago, concrete countertops are at home in a contemporary or industrial design. They can be customized with pigment, stained, acid washed, and polished. It can also be delivered with several different finishes including trowel finished, exposed aggregate or pressed with a tool that replicates marble like veining. Concrete requires upkeep and needs careful maintenance. A sponge left on the surface can leave a stain, acidic liquids can etch the surface, and sudden temperature changes can cause warping or curling. It also needs to be sealed four times a year, and paste wax should be applied every couple of months.

WOOD COUNTERTOPS

Wood is a traditional material that can warm up your kitchen. Wooden kitchen countertops like maple or butcher block are easy to clean, and small scratches can easily be sanded out. Water can be a problem, so you will need to oil them frequently to keep the surface sealed.

The best option is to try to see and touch the surfaces in person before you make a final decision. Work with a designer and discuss your options. Countertops can be customized with various edge styles. Many designers are their meeting clients needs by combining different materials to create a truly custom kitchen. With all of the countertop choices available and a little help from your kitchen designer, you’re sure to find the perfect kitchen countertop to meet your lifestyle and stylistic needs!